Schaeffler and Sonatus Partner to Bring Edge AI to Motion Control for Software-Defined Vehicles
In a move that highlights the automotive industry’s accelerating transition toward software-defined vehicles (SDVs), Schaeffler and Sonatus have announced a global partnership aimed at integrating edge artificial intelligence (AI) into motion control systems for next-generation vehicles. The collaboration combines Schaeffler’s advanced control unit technology with Sonatus’s AI-driven software capabilities, creating a platform designed to enhance vehicle intelligence, reduce system complexity, and accelerate the pace of innovation throughout a vehicle’s lifecycle.
As automakers increasingly embrace software-centric architectures, the role of intelligent, adaptable vehicle systems is becoming more critical. Traditional vehicles have relied heavily on fixed-function electronic control units (ECUs), which are often limited in their ability to evolve once deployed. By contrast, software-defined vehicles are designed to continuously improve through software updates, intelligent automation, and enhanced data management.
The newly announced partnership seeks to address these evolving requirements by enabling intelligence directly at the vehicle edge — meaning AI functions can run locally within the vehicle itself rather than relying solely on cloud connectivity. This approach promises faster response times, enhanced vehicle performance, and continuous optimization without requiring hardware replacements.
Advancing the Software-Defined Vehicle Era
The automotive industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation driven by electrification, connectivity, automation, and increasingly sophisticated software ecosystems. In this environment, software-defined vehicles have emerged as a strategic priority for automakers seeking greater flexibility, faster innovation cycles, and more personalized user experiences.
However, the realization of SDVs depends on more than powerful hardware systems. It requires seamless integration between hardware, software, and data management to create vehicles capable of learning, adapting, and evolving over time.
Schaeffler and Sonatus believe their partnership addresses this challenge by combining complementary technologies into a ready-to-deploy solution for vehicle manufacturers.
At the center of the collaboration is the integration of Sonatus Collector AI and Sonatus AI Director into Schaeffler’s control units. This integration creates a pre-configured technological foundation capable of supporting centralized and zonal vehicle architectures while reducing integration burdens for automakers.
The companies say the combined offering can help original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) accelerate development timelines and bring software-defined vehicle technologies to market faster.
According to Thomas Stierle, CEO of E-Mobility at Schaeffler AG, robust hardware remains essential in supporting the next generation of automotive software systems.
“Software-defined vehicles require a robust and scalable hardware foundation,” Stierle said. “Our control units run data-driven and AI-based functions within the vehicle, enabling the next generation of vehicle architectures.”
The partnership reflects Schaeffler’s growing strategic focus on software and systems engineering capabilities as automakers transition from hardware-centered vehicle development toward intelligent, software-powered mobility ecosystems.
Bringing Intelligence Directly to the Vehicle Edge
One of the defining characteristics of the partnership is its emphasis on edge AI, a technology model in which artificial intelligence processes and decision-making occur directly inside the vehicle instead of depending entirely on remote cloud systems.
Edge AI has gained significant traction across industries due to its ability to reduce latency, improve operational efficiency, and enhance reliability. In automotive applications, this technology enables vehicles to analyze data, make decisions, and continuously improve performance in real time.
Through the integration of Sonatus software into Schaeffler control units, vehicle systems can dynamically adapt based on operational data gathered during real-world driving conditions.
This capability is particularly relevant for mission-critical vehicle functions such as steering, braking, chassis management, and energy optimization.
Rather than relying on static programming or infrequent hardware revisions, OEMs could continuously refine these functions throughout the vehicle lifecycle via software updates and AI-driven improvements.
The result is a vehicle architecture that becomes increasingly intelligent over time.
For automakers, this evolution represents a major departure from traditional vehicle engineering practices, where many system upgrades historically required hardware modifications or redesigns.
Instead, software-defined systems supported by edge AI can receive ongoing enhancements, performance optimizations, and new capabilities after production.
From Traditional Hardware to Intelligent Systems
As part of the collaboration, Schaeffler contributes extensive expertise in control systems, system integration, and motion technologies.
Known as “The Motion Technology Company,” Schaeffler has spent decades developing technologies spanning multiple automotive domains, including powertrain, chassis, energy management, and body systems.
Its cross-domain control units are designed to support centralized and zonal vehicle architectures, two increasingly important concepts in the development of software-defined vehicles.
Traditional automotive electronic architectures often consist of dozens or even hundreds of isolated ECUs spread across the vehicle. This fragmented setup can increase complexity, slow development cycles, and create integration challenges.
Centralized and zonal architectures seek to simplify this structure by consolidating computing functions into fewer, more powerful control units capable of managing multiple systems simultaneously.
Schaeffler’s role in the partnership is to provide this scalable hardware foundation while ensuring compatibility across vehicle systems.
Meanwhile, Sonatus contributes production-proven AI software technology already deployed in more than eight million vehicles globally.
The company has developed a reputation for enabling automakers to modernize vehicle software systems and manage increasing complexity through intelligent automation and software lifecycle management.
Within the Schaeffler partnership, Sonatus introduces two core technologies: Sonatus Collector AI and Sonatus AI Director.
Sonatus Collector AI enables targeted and intelligent real-time data collection without requiring large-scale logging systems. This allows automakers to gather highly relevant vehicle data efficiently, helping identify performance issues faster and reducing unnecessary data processing burdens.
Instead of collecting massive volumes of information indiscriminately, the system focuses on extracting actionable insights that support diagnostics, optimization, and continuous development.
Sonatus AI Director, meanwhile, enables automakers to deploy, manage, and update AI models directly inside vehicles throughout their operational lifespan.
This means OEMs can continuously improve system intelligence without requiring major hardware interventions.
Jeff Chou, CEO and co-founder of Sonatus, described the collaboration as a critical step in transforming automotive control systems into adaptive intelligence platforms.
“Hardware centralization is the first step; the software-defined vehicle is realized when AI can be running at the edge and when hardware continuously learns and adapts,” Chou said. “Together with Schaeffler, we are turning static control units into dynamic, intelligence-driven systems.”
Key Benefits for OEMs
For automotive manufacturers navigating increasingly complex vehicle software ecosystems, the partnership offers several operational and strategic advantages.
One major benefit is the ability to continuously improve core vehicle functions over time.
Systems such as steering, braking, power management, and energy efficiency can be optimized through software updates, helping manufacturers enhance vehicle performance even after vehicles have been delivered to customers.
This continuous development capability aligns closely with broader automotive trends toward over-the-air (OTA) software updates and lifecycle monetization strategies.
Instead of viewing vehicles as fixed products, automakers are increasingly treating them as evolving platforms capable of receiving ongoing upgrades and feature enhancements.
The integrated Schaeffler-Sonatus solution also provides greater flexibility in vehicle diagnostics and performance monitoring.
Real-time, targeted data collection enables engineers to identify technical issues more rapidly, reduce troubleshooting times, and gain deeper insights into system behavior under real-world conditions.
Such capabilities become increasingly valuable as vehicle architectures grow more software-intensive and interconnected.
Reducing system complexity is another significant advantage.
Software-defined vehicles often involve enormous integration challenges due to the growing number of software layers, sensors, and communication networks required to support advanced features.
By offering a pre-integrated infrastructure, Schaeffler and Sonatus aim to simplify implementation for OEMs and reduce development overhead.
According to Rodrigo Peres, senior vice president of Schaeffler’s Business Unit Vehicle and Battery Controls, the partnership removes key integration barriers for manufacturers.
“Our central control units are equipped with a pre-integrated software infrastructure that includes solutions such as Sonatus products,” Peres said. “This significantly simplifies integration for OEMs and helps them accelerate the centralization of their software architecture.”
Supporting the Future of Vehicle Architectures
The Schaeffler-Sonatus partnership also reflects broader shifts taking place across the automotive industry.
As vehicles become more software-centric, manufacturers are increasingly prioritizing scalable computing architectures capable of supporting autonomous driving systems, electrification technologies, and connected mobility services.
Centralized computing and zonal architectures are expected to become essential enablers of this transformation.
At the same time, edge AI is emerging as a foundational technology for intelligent mobility, allowing vehicles to process data faster, make more informed decisions, and operate with greater autonomy.
The ability to combine intelligent hardware, embedded software, and AI-driven functionality within a single ecosystem may provide OEMs with a stronger competitive position as software-defined mobility continues to mature.
For Schaeffler, the partnership reinforces its commitment to expanding beyond traditional mechanical systems into software-enabled motion technologies.
Founded more than 80 years ago, the company has built a global reputation for innovation in bearings, driveline systems, chassis solutions, and industrial motion technologies.
Today, Schaeffler employs approximately 110,000 people across more than 250 locations in 55 countries, making it one of the world’s largest family-owned companies and one of Germany’s leading innovation-driven industrial groups.
Its portfolio increasingly emphasizes electric mobility, CO₂-efficient drives, renewable energy technologies, and advanced vehicle systems designed to improve sustainability and efficiency throughout the mobility ecosystem.
With the integration of edge AI into motion control systems, Schaeffler and Sonatus are positioning themselves at the center of one of the automotive sector’s most significant transitions — the move toward intelligent, adaptive, software-defined vehicles capable of continuous evolution.
As automakers race to modernize vehicle architectures and reduce software complexity, partnerships such as this could play an increasingly important role in defining how future mobility systems are built, deployed, and continuously improved.
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